Lionel Messi was slammed by Wayne Rooney for trying to get Marc Cucurella sent off during the World Cup final. 

There was a brief moment of confusion towards the end of normal time when Argentina’s Enzo Fernandez was sent off for taking down Pau Cubarsi. 

This led to a melee between both sets of players, and Cucurella was spotted saying something to Messi.

The left back was caught on camera briefly putting a couple of fingers over his mouth as he spoke to the Argentine captain, prompting Messi to immediately wave over the referee.

As per FIFA’s rules for this tournament, if a player holds their hand over their mouth in a confrontational situation, they will be sent off.

But it was obvious Cucurella was not being aggressive or confrontational, which is why neither the referee nor VAR decided to intervene.

But Messi’s cynical attempt to get a player sent off was seized upon by the BBC pundits.

Joe Hart said: ‘Oh wow! Wow! Yeah, I didn’t enjoy that at all from Lionel Messi.

‘You realise how on top Spain are if even Lionel Messi is reverting to that.’

Micah Richards added: ‘We don’t want to see people getting sent off in a World Cup final for that.’

Rooney was similarly furious with Messi’s behaviour as he said: ‘It is desperation. 

‘Argentina play like that, we know that’s what they do.

‘But the one thing you want is good sportsmanship, and that was sad to see Lionel Messi doing that.’